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Luke 22

Now the feast of unleavened bread drew nigh, which is called the Passover.

And the chief priests and scribes sought how they might kill him; for they feared the people.

Then entered Satan into Judas surnamed Iscariot, being of the number of the twelve.

And he went his way, and communed with the chief priests and captains, how he might betray him unto them.

And they were glad, and covenanted to give him money.

And he promised, and sought opportunity to betray him unto them in the absence of the multitude.

Then came the day of unleavened bread, when the passover must be killed.

And he sent Peter and John, saying, Go and prepare us the passover, that we may eat.

And they said unto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare?

And he said unto them, Behold, when ye are entered into the city, there shall a man meet you, bearing a pitcher of water; follow him into the house where he entereth in.

And ye shall say unto the goodman of the house, The Master saith unto thee, Where is the guestchamber, where I shall eat the passover with my disciples?

And he shall shew you a large upper room furnished: there make ready.

And they went, and found as he had said unto them: and they made ready the passover.

And when the hour was come, he sat down, and the twelve apostles with him.

And he said unto them, With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer:

For I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God.

And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, Take this, and divide it among yourselves:

For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come.

And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me.

Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.

But, behold, the hand of him that betrayeth me is with me on the table.

And truly the Son of man goeth, as it was determined: but woe unto that man by whom he is betrayed!

And they began to inquire among themselves, which of them it was that should do this thing.

And there was also a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest.

And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors.

But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve.

For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth.

Ye are they which have continued with me in my temptations.

And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me;

That ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:

But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.

And he said unto him, Lord, I am ready to go with thee, both into prison, and to death.

And he said, I tell thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day, before that thou shalt thrice deny that thou knowest me.

And he said unto them, When I sent you without purse, and scrip, and shoes, lacked ye any thing? And they said, Nothing.

Then said he unto them, But now, he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip: and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one.

For I say unto you, that this that is written must yet be accomplished in me, And he was reckoned among the transgressors: for the things concerning me have an end.

And they said, Lord, behold, here are two swords. And he said unto them, It is enough.

And he came out, and went, as he was wont, to the mount of Olives; and his disciples also followed him.

And when he was at the place, he said unto them, Pray that ye enter not into temptation.

And he was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and kneeled down, and prayed,

Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.

And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him.

And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.

And when he rose up from prayer, and was come to his disciples, he found them sleeping for sorrow,

And said unto them, Why sleep ye? rise and pray, lest ye enter into temptation.

And while he yet spake, behold a multitude, and he that was called Judas, one of the twelve, went before them, and drew near unto Jesus to kiss him.

But Jesus said unto him, Judas, betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss?

When they which were about him saw what would follow, they said unto him, Lord, shall we smite with the sword?

And one of them smote the servant of the high priest, and cut off his right ear.

And Jesus answered and said, Suffer ye thus far. And he touched his ear, and healed him.

Then Jesus said unto the chief priests, and captains of the temple, and the elders, which were come to him, Be ye come out, as against a thief, with swords and staves?

When I was daily with you in the temple, ye stretched forth no hands against me: but this is your hour, and the power of darkness.

Then took they him, and led him, and brought him into the high priest's house. And Peter followed afar off.

And when they had kindled a fire in the midst of the hall, and were set down together, Peter sat down among them.

But a certain maid beheld him as he sat by the fire, and earnestly looked upon him, and said, This man was also with him.

And he denied him, saying, Woman, I know him not.

And after a little while another saw him, and said, Thou art also of them. And Peter said, Man, I am not.

And about the space of one hour after another confidently affirmed, saying, Of a truth this fellow also was with him: for he is a Galilaean.

And Peter said, Man, I know not what thou sayest. And immediately, while he yet spake, the cock crew.

And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.

And Peter went out, and wept bitterly.

And the men that held Jesus mocked him, and smote him.

And when they had blindfolded him, they struck him on the face, and asked him, saying, Prophesy, who is it that smote thee?

And many other things blasphemously spake they against him.

And as soon as it was day, the elders of the people and the chief priests and the scribes came together, and led him into their council, saying,

Art thou the Christ? tell us. And he said unto them, If I tell you, ye will not believe:

And if I also ask you, ye will not answer me, nor let me go.

Hereafter shall the Son of man sit on the right hand of the power of God.

Then said they all, Art thou then the Son of God? And he said unto them, Ye say that I am.

And they said, What need we any further witness? for we ourselves have heard of his own mouth.

What does Luke 22:58 mean?

Explanation

Luke 22:58 captures the moment when Peter, one of Jesus' closest disciples, is recognized as a follower of Jesus during the events leading up to Jesus' crucifixion.

After Jesus was arrested, Peter followed at a distance and ended up in the courtyard of the high priest.

There, while Jesus was being questioned, Peter was warming himself by a fire among others.

A little while after an initial challenge to his identity, another person identifies Peter as one of Jesus' followers.

Despite the accusation, Peter vehemently denies the association, saying, "Man, I am not." This verse illustrates Peter's fear and the resulting denial of his relationship with Jesus, fulfilling a prophecy Jesus had made earlier that Peter would disown him three times before the rooster crowed.

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Historical Context

The verse is part of the narrative of the New Testament found in the Gospel of Luke. During this time, Jesus has been arrested, and his disciples scatter in fear of being associated with him due to the risk of persecution or death.

The social and religious climate was fraught with tension, as the Jewish leaders felt threatened by Jesus' teachings, which challenged their authority and interpretation of the Law. Peter's denial occurs at a time when acknowledging Jesus could have dire consequences.

The account of Peter's denial is also found in other Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and John) emphasizing its significance in the narrative of Jesus' passion.

Theological Insights

From a theological perspective, this verse reflects several key themes:

Human Weakness: Despite Peter's earlier proclamation of unwavering loyalty to Jesus (Luke 22:33), his denial shows the fragility of human resolve when faced with fear and potential suffering.
Divine Foreknowledge: Jesus predicted Peter's denials (Luke 22:34), demonstrating his omniscience and the certainty of prophetic fulfillment.
Repentance and Forgiveness: The Gospel of John later recounts Peter's restoration and Jesus' forgiveness (John 21:15-17), highlighting the themes of redemption and grace.

Different theological traditions may emphasize these themes to varying degrees, with some focusing on the human propensity to sin and others on the boundlessness of God's mercy.

Practical Applications

The account of Peter's denial can be instructive for believers in several practical ways:

Encourages humility and self-awareness, recognizing our own susceptibilities to fear and failure.
Serves as a reminder of the need for repentance and the ever-present possibility of forgiveness.
Teaches the value of perseverance and faithfulness, even when faced with personal trials and societal pressures.

Cross-References

Matthew 26:69-75 - Another account of Peter's denials.
Mark 14:66-72 - Mark's version of the event.
John 18:15-27 - John's narrative of Peter's denials.
Luke 22:34 - Jesus predicts Peter's denial.
John 21:15-17 - Jesus forgives and restores Peter.

Language Study

In the original Greek text, the key phrase is "ἐγώ οὐκ εἰμί" (egō ouk eimi) meaning "I am not." The word "ἐγώ" (egō) is the first-person singular pronoun "I", and "οὐκ" (ouk) is a strong negation.

The verb "εἰμί" (eimi) is the first-person singular present active indicative of "to be." This emphatic denial reveals Peter's intense desire to disassociate himself from Jesus at that moment.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Comparisons can be drawn between Peter's denial and various other ancient stories of denial or betrayal.

For example, in Greek mythology, Epimetheus disregards the warnings of his brother Prometheus by accepting Pandora, leading to the release of evils into the world.

Similarly, in ancient texts, there are stories of followers denying their leaders or gods under pressure, often reflecting human fallibility.

Scientific Perspectives

From a psychological standpoint, Peter's actions could be analyzed in terms of the fight-or-flight response, an instinctive reaction to perceived threats.

Modern scientific understandings of stress and fear responses may provide insight into the physiological and psychological factors that contribute to behavior like Peter's denials under duress.

Commentaries

Biblical scholars and commentators offer various interpretations of Luke 22:58.

Some suggest that Peter's denial is a relatable moment, reflecting the common human experience of failing to live up to one's ideals under pressure.

Others focus on the fulfillment of Jesus' prophecy as a testament to his divinity and insight.

The unanimous view is that Peter's denial is a significant moment that sets the stage for his eventual repentance and pivotal role in the early Christian church.

Luke 22

Luke 22

What does Luke 22:58 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Luke Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?

What does Luke 22:58 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Luke Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?